Bee-hive



Hts. GIDEON.

BEEHIVE. V

Patented May 5, 1885. (/7

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UNITED STATES jATENT ()FFICE.

HENRY SANFORD GIDEON, OF CRESCENT CITY, IOWA.

BEE-HIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,112, dated May 5, 1885. Application filed m 10, 1884. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SANFORD G11)- EON, of Crescent City, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bee- Hives, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a front elevation of my improved bee-hive. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, part being broken away. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same, taken through the line 00 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional front elevation of the same, taken through the line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the same, taken through the broken line 2 2, Fig. 3.

The object of this invention is to promote convenience in the care of bees.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

A represents the main hive, the top B of which is hinged to the upper edge of the frontof the hive A, and is secured in place when closed by a hook, O, pivoted to the back of the hive, and hooking into an eye attached to the said top B.

The back D of the hive is made in two parts hinged to each other, so that access can be had to the brood-chamber by swinging up the lower part of the said back, and to the space above the brood-chamber by swinging down the upper part. The back D is secured in place at its top by the hook C, at its bottom by the hook E, hinged to the foot-board F, and hooking into an eye attached to the said back, and at its sides by the buttons G, pivoted to the edges of the sides of the main hive A. An opening is formed in the lower part of the back D, which is closed by a glass plate, H, and covered by a door, I, hinged at -its upper edge to the said back.

One of the sides of the main hive A is stationary, and the other side, J, is hinged at its forward edge to the edge of the front of the said main hive, and is secured in place at its rear edge by a hook, K, pivoted to it and hooking into an eye attached to the footboard F. i

L are the side boxes or chambers which are hinged at the inner edges of their fronts to the forward edges of the sides of the main hive A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The tops of the boxes L incline downward from the upper part of the main hive A, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. The boxes L are secured in place when closed by hooks M, pivoted to their backs, and which hook into eyes attached to the rear edges of the sides of the main hive A.

The bottoms N O of the main hive A and side boxes,L, incline downward toward the front, and their forward parts project to serve as platforms for the bees to alight upon and take flight from.

In the lower edges of the fronts of the main hive A and the side boxes, L, are formed openings P Q, for the passage of the bees, which are closed by the pivoted gates R S.

In the middle part of the front of the main hive A are formed openings T for the passage of the bees into and out of the upper part of the brood-chamber, which openings are closed by pivoted gates U.

To the front of the main hive just below the openings T is attached a ledge, V, for the bees to alight upon and take flight from.

In the sides of the main hive A are formed openings W for the passage of thebees back and forth between the main hive A and the side boxes, L, which openings are closed by pivoted gates X.

Y are the comb-frames, which are all made of the same size, so that they can bechanged between the main hive A and the side boxes, L, as may be desired or convenient. The middle parts of the sides of the top bars of the frames Y are cut away, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that the bees can pass up and down freely between the said bars.

The forward ends of the top bars of the comb-frames Y rest. upon cleats Z, attached to the fronts of the main hive A and side boxes, L, and the lower ends of the rear bars of the said frames rest upon the higher parts of the floors N 0.

When the bees are first put into the hive, all the entrances should be closed, except the front entrances of the main hive, which are left ICO open until the brood-comb has been made in the lower part of the said main hive. The front entrances of the main hive should then be closed, and the side entrances of the main hive A and the front entrances of the side boxes, L, should be opened, which causes the bees togo to work in the side boxes and prevents moth from getting into the brood-comb, as the millers will deposit their eggs in the side boxes, which can be readily cleaned.

After the moth season is over, all the front entrances should be opened, and honey-boxes or comb-frames can be placed in the upper part of the main hive A on top of the combframes Y.

- With this construction the side boxes, L, can be opened and honey taken out at any time when the said boxes are filled, or the side and front entrances of the side boxes can be closed, which will secure the honey from mice and insects, and the filled side boxes can be allowed to remain closed all winter, if desired.

In wintering bees the honey-boxes or combframes should be taken out of the upper part of the main hive A, and the said upper part filled with dry corn-cobs, which will absorb the dampness from the bees, so that the bees will be dry and healthy in the spring and able to start their brood early.

When spring c01nes,the corn-cobs should be taken out of the upper part of the main hive and honey-boxes or comb-frames put in, and the hive is ready for summer work.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a bee hive, the combination, with the main hive A and the hinged side boxes, L, open on their sides only, of the hinged side J of the main hive having one of the said side boxes hinged thereto, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby provision is made for having access to either the main hive or side box without opening the other, as set forth.

HENRY SANFORD GIDEON.

Witnesses:

ELIJAH B. HALE, ISAM HosKINs. 

